What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On Thursday April 19, 2007 at approximately 1050 EDT, a "hummel bird" experimental amateur-built single-engine airplane crashed into a corporate parking lot at 3535 pipkin road, just south of the Lakeland-Linder regional airport while flying in a traffic pattern known as the "paradise city" pattern at the sun-n-fun airshow. The pilot stated he was attempting to maintain his distance from an aircraft ahead that appeared to be reducing its airspeed; the hummel bird pilot responded in similar fashion. The pilot and several witnesses described a stall occurring on the hummel bird from an altitude of approximately 200 feet AGL. The pilot sustained serious injuries and the aircraft was substantially damaged. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident; the following observation was recorded: 1450Z: wind 250 at 7 knots; visibility 15 sm; ceiling 7000 feet AGL scattered; temp 22 deg c; altimeter 29.79 in hg.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON THURSDAY APRIL 19, 2007 AT APPROXIMATELY 1050 EDT, A "HUMMEL BIRD" EXPERIMENTAL AMATEUR-BUILT SINGLE-ENGINE AIRPLANE CRASHED INTO A CORPORATE PARKING LOT AT 3535 PIPKIN ROAD, JUST SOUTH OF THE LAKELAND-LINDER REGIONAL AIRPORT WHILE FLYING IN A TRAFFIC PATTERN KNOWN AS THE "PARADISE CITY" PATTERN AT THE SUN-N-FUN AIRSHOW. THE PILOT STATED HE WAS ATTEMPTING TO MAINTAIN HIS DISTANCE FROM AN AIRCRAFT AHEAD THAT APPEARED TO BE REDUCING ITS AIRSPEED; THE HUMMEL BIRD PILOT RESPONDED IN SIMILAR FASHION. THE PILOT AND SEVERAL WITNESSES DESCRIBED A STALL OCCURRING ON THE HUMMEL BIRD FROM AN ALTITUDE OF APPROXIMATELY 200 FEET AGL. THE PILOT SUSTAINED SERIOUS INJURIES AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT; THE FOLLOWING OBSERVATION WAS RECORDED: 1450Z: WIND 250 AT 7 KNOTS; VISIBILITY 15 SM; CEILING 7000 FEET AGL SCATTERED; TEMP 22 DEG C; ALTIMETER 29.79 IN HG.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.